Peggie Blizard. This is a crystal clear painting with the happiest of colors. I love the water line in the jar, and those flowers… oh, I want to reach out and touch them. Beautiful. Just look at the light on that leaf on the right. Perfection!

Sweet pansies in a jar – these paintings are so crisp – the colors really pop.

Read Peggies BIO from her website (what a story!), also see her Artist Statement!:

The need to create art must be inborn or else the leftover remnants of a life lived in another time when art was a profession in great demand, requiring large numbers of workers to decorate churches and palaces. As this professional demand no longer exists, I have often wondered where my own overpowering need to paint comes from. 

I was born in rural North Carolina, in a small town called Rockingham. The practice in those days was for babies to be born at home, which would have worked had it not been a cold, snowy January morning. The doctor, on his way to our house, found himself in an ice storm too challenging for his driving skills and as luck would have it, he wrecked his car and was not present at the occasion of my birth. My paternal grandmother was there, thank heavens, because I presented myself to the world feet first, doing just the opposite of a normal birth. That has been my lot in life ever since. 

As a child, that story was told to me so many times, I must have thought that I was expected to take the less traveled path. Another story I was told was that shards of colored glass lying about on the ground would catch my eye, and I would pick them up and take them to my mother. I have often wondered how I managed that without getting injured. My fascination with color was very strong even at that early age. 

And I drew, all the time, on any surface I could find, including the ground. This rural setting in North Carolina was my home until I graduated high school. From there, I went on to East Carolina College (now a university) and majored in art education, thinking this would be a safe career choice. But I only taught one year of art in the public schools after graduating. 

I married Larry Blizard, a fellow artist, and we moved to New York City, seeking fame and fortune. My education continued in the city at Art Students League, Pratt Graphics Center, and finally at City College, where I earned a Masters Degree in Art. 

But the most important part of my education came from going to museums, galleries, associating with fellow artists and from trips to ancient cities in Europe. Over the years, while raising two sons with my husband, I worked at many different and diverse jobs to earn a living: Secretary, Benefits Specialist for Ciba Geigy, pattern maker in the garment district of NYC, gallery owner, children’s art teacher, fashion teacher at Marymount College (now defunct), became a landlady, and once in a while, sold a painting. And that’s where I am at this point. Painting. Every day and very happy to be doing it.

Peggy is represented by the Anderson Gallery (St. Simon’s Island, GA) and the Shain Gallery (Charlotte, NC).

All images via PeggieBlizard.com, used with permission…

Until tomorrow…

Dean Mitchell. EXQUISITE. Watercolor paintings can be so refined, can’t they? Look at the level of detail. The shadows really heighten the interest on this piece. So lovely!

This man looks so content. Relaxing on his porch. Again, the detail amazes me. The face, arm and hand are perfection. I know hands are hard to get right, and Dean has them down. I don’t think there is a thing in the world this man cannot paint (and excel at)!

Read a bit about Dean, from his website:

Dean L. Mitchell was born 1957, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and reared in Quincy, Florida.  He is a graduate of the Columbus College of Art & Design in Columbus, Ohio.  Mitchell is well known for his figurative works, landscapes and still lifes.  In addition to watercolors, he is accomplished in other mediums, including egg temperas, oils and pastels.

Mitchell has been featured in numerous publications, including the New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, American Artist, Artist Magazine, Fine Art International and Art News.

His art can be found in corporate and museum collections across the country, including: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri; Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, Mississippi; Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis, Missouri; Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri; Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri; Beach Museum of Art, Manhattan, Kansas; The Autry National Center, Los Angeles; The Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, Arkansas; Gadsden Art Center Quincy, Florida; Canton Museum of Art, Canton, Ohio and the Library of Congress.

He has received the American Watercolor Society Gold Medal, Allied Artist of American Gold Medal in Watercolor and Oil, Thomas Moran Award from the Salmagundi Club in New York, Remington Professional League, and for three years in a row the Best in Show Award from the Mississippi Watercolor Society Grand National Competition.  In 2004 and 2007, he received the Autry National Center Award for Watercolor at the Masters of the American West Fine Art Exhibition and sale.  Mitchell is a member of several professional societies, including the American Watercolor Society and the National Watercolor Society. 

Dean L. Mitchell is represented by Astoria Fine Art in Jackson, Wyoming, E&S Gallery in Louisville, Kentucky, J. Willott Gallery in Palm Desert, California, and Medicine Man Gallery, in Tucson, Arizona.

All images via DeanMitchellStudio.com, used with permission…

Until tomorrow…

Catherine Kehoe. What a cool painting style she has! Just look at these vivacious green grapes! This is a looser version of a Cornelius De Heem painting, I love it!

Who doesn’t need to see a glimpse of Frosty the snowman after the high heat that summer has provided us so far? Growing up our first house had a basement, and if we had a Frosty (we didn’t) stacked near a window I’m quite sure it would look like this. What an interesting combination of things to paint!

I love the basement window, orange jacket, hoola hoop, ha ha… a happy painting for sure!

Read a bit about Catherine Kehoe, from her website:

Catherine Kehoe was born in Hartford, Connecticut. 
She received her BFA in painting from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 1989 and her MFA in painting from the School of Visual Arts, Boston University, in 1992.

Kehoe has received the following awards: Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Foundation Grant; Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant; Berkshire Taconic Artist’s Resource Trust Grant; Massachusetts Cultural Council Finalist Grant; Blanche E. Colman Award; St. Botolph Club Foundation Grant, and the Sam and Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts Award. 

Kehoe is represented by Miller-Yezerski Gallery, Boston, where she has had several solo shows.  

Kehoe has been a visiting artist at Swarthmore College, Salve Regina University, Rhode Island College, Colby College, University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, Indiana University, Boston University School of Visual Arts, and Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas.

Kehoe teaches painting and drawing at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She has also taught painting workshops at Art New England (a summer workshop program of Massachusetts College of Art and Design at Bennington College), The Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill,  the Washington Art Association, Cullowhee Mountain Arts, and at JSS in Italy, Civita Castellana, a program of the Jerusalem Studio School.

Images via CatherineKehoe.com, used with permission…

Until tomorrow…

David Dewey. WOW. WOW. WOW. This painting blows me away. I find paintings that are painted so dramatically different are absolutely stunning. They catch my eye and hold my attention. The composition in this painting paired with the WOW blue of the sky and the captivating height of the house just make me want more. Look at those shadows. Perfection!

The detail in the woodwork… Exquisite!

David provided this information about the painting:

Tall Windows comes from a series of large scale architectural watercolors produced from a number of painting trips to San Francisco in the mid 80’s. Tall Windows and others from that San Francisco period marked the beginning of my Iconic Architectural works that came to an end around the later 90’s. It has been stored by me since it was painted and never shown in New York. All others were sold into collections throughout the US. It’s one of those things artist’s do with special works – at this point now, it is available.

Are you interested in taking a watercolor workshop? Well, if you are going to be in the Owl’s Head, Maine area either July 20-25, 2015 or September 10-14, 2015 you may be in luck! Click HERE for more info! If a workshop isn’t in the cards, David has written a wonderful book “The Watercolor Book”, see more below…

Read a bit about David, from his website:

Image via DavidDeweyWatercolors.com, used with permission…

Until tomorrow…

Ironstone by Karen Tusinski – 30×20″ Oil & Graphite on Canvas

Karen Tusinski. Bright, happy paintings.  Wow, what a statement they make! It’s fun to find artists with a whimsical, fun style!

Poppies are a personal favorite and hers have spunk! Also see her pebble strew beaches with tranquil sees and more. I love how she provides links (they’re on the right) to click on to see the different magazine articles – and photos! Great to see the images in a room… Like I said, WOW!

Oranges No. 9  –  48×48″ Oil & Graphite on Canvas

Bright, happy and a stunning accompaniment to any room! The 48×48″ size commands attention!

Read a bit about Karen – from her website:

Tusinksi subscribes to the natural contrast found in our world. Geometric and organic form play together in each piece, combining in an energized abstraction. Common themes include bright poppies in a variety of color schemes, pebble strewn beaches with tranquil seas, and reoccurring circular patterns in both abstracts and expressive still lifes. Tusinski’s work offers pleasing tonal relationships through common motifs and patterns inspired by nature. Her keen observation of the seemingly ordinary allows the viewer a new lens to hold against everyday images, from horizon lines to buds to bowls.

Image via TusinskiGallery.com, used with permission…

Catch you back here tomorrow!